


Into The Sky

by museicalitea



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, HQ Brofest Flash Tier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-03-30 09:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13948665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/museicalitea/pseuds/museicalitea
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a boy who wanted more than anything to be a hero.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been wanting to write something like this ever since Chapter 278 came out. I've been cheering in Kinoshita's corner for a couple of years now and I legitimately cried when 278 happened, I'm so proud of my boy who is fighting the good fight and will definitely get his 25 service aces someday...!!! I love this friendship, and I hope there's more of it to come.
> 
> And thank you to the Brofest mods for organising this event!! It's been nice dipping my toes back into Haikyuu!! again and I'm so pleased there was an event like this in which to do so. These were hugely fun (and soul-crushing in turn) to write, and playing with this short form has been an exciting challenge in and of itself, and I hope to try some more fic like this soon.
> 
> This is canon-compliant, and the fics are largely in chronological order; but, of course, feel free to read them in any order you choose.

Kinoshita's not that strong—can barely manage ten push-ups on a good day—but he's fast. Faster than that Tanaka Ryuunosuke. Faster than most of the senpai and the other first years.

Not quite as fast as Nishinoya Yuu.

The boy's like lightning; a whirlwind, furious, shining so bright he lights up the whole gym. And he sounds like lightning, too; the pound of his feet, the charge of his breaths, that cry he lets rip so the whole world will hear:

"ROLLING... THUNDER!"

Kinoshita's not such a masochist that he'll go chasing a storm that will eat him alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Nishinoya yahoos and jumps ten feet in the air when Kinoshita and Ennoshita and Narita come back to practice.

Narita rubs his head, sheepish, and Ennoshita’s jaw is stiff like he’s ashamed; and Kinoshita’s stomach turns, like it did when he was throwing up from exhaustion in the heat. But the gym is awash with Air Salonpas and teenage sweat, and Nishinoya’s nearly sparkling. He falls into step with Kinoshita and grins up at him when they start running.

“I’ll partner you for serves, hey?”

His response is lost in Nishinoya's cry of “CHIKARAAAAA!”—

—but later, they do.


	3. Chapter 3

Sometimes there are eyes on him. They watch, cat-like, focused like laser beams, and Kinoshita’s foot stumbles as he lunges forwards to receive. The ball ricochets off his arms.

Noya comes in like a ghost.

(Perhaps, more aptly—

—like a hero.)

"Hisashi," he says, "eyes up! You gotta use your whole body, right? Can’t be scared of moving yourself!"

And Kinoshita isn’t scared, not of volleyball, not of Nishinoya—but what happens when you don’t falter? What are you to do when it all goes to plan, and the ball goes up?

"One more!" he calls, and keeps his eyes level.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> do you ever think about how Kinoshita was probably the only member of Karasuno who didn't play in the Datekou match during the March tournament because, I DO,

Nishinoya rotates off with a grim set to his mouth.

“It’s not good,” he says, towelling his face. Kinoshita clutches his jersey, the only one unmarred by sweat or exertion.

“Is there anything you guys can do?”

Nishinoya stares at the court: Narita serving, Tanaka panting, Asahi with eyes fixed on that #7.

“We need someone to pierce that wall,” he says as Narita hits his serve. It barely brushes past the net.

“What can I do?”

The ball slams between Ennoshita and Tanaka and Nishinoya’s gone without an answer. Kinoshita waits: for Narita; and for the final, dreadful whistle.


	5. Chapter 5

"I dunno if talking to him will do any good," Narita says at lunchtime. Kinoshita scowls at him over his bento and the noise from the open window. Thuds and grunts echo from outside; there’s a thunder of feet on the ground.

"Isn't it worth  _trying,_ though?"

"C’mon, Kinoshita." Narita smiles wryly and chews before he speaks again. "Noya's stubborner than an ox. If he wants to sulk, that's his problem."

It sounds like somebody’s practising receives. Kinoshita leans to look out the window, and his jaw drops as a lithe body dives to the ground.

Noya definitely isn’t sulking.


	6. Chapter 6

It’s funny, when they’re practising, how everything is suddenly possible.

Every _swish-thwip_ of the ball hitting Noya’s arms is a service ace gone; but half the balls don’t make it back to the setter. Even though their team has Kageyama, who’s kind of massively the exception to the rule, even Kageyama would find some of those difficult.

He wonders if he should get some receives practice in too. He decides against it. The jump floater isn’t going to make itself better overnight.

“Bring me another one, Hisashi!” Noya calls, springing up and readying himself cat-like again.

And Kinoshita does.


	7. Chapter 7

Once upon a time, there was a Guardian Deity who saved the world over and over again.

 

* * *

 

Once upon a time, there was a boy who wanted more than anything to be a hero. It would be amazing, he thought, to save the world. To be the strongest, the bravest, the fastest; someone who could always turn the tides of the fight and  _be there._

But he got a little older, and found out sometimes you just aren't the strongest, nor very brave, and sometimes,  _ wanting  _ to be a hero isn't enough.

 

* * *

 

Once upon a time, the boy ran away.


	8. Chapter 8

_ Being scared… what a waste. _

 

They have to turn this game around. Kinoshita heads back to the substitute box, as he must, but can’t look away from the court. Nishinoya’s settling into his stance again. Low to the ground. Arms spread. Eyes up. The lights catch in his gaze. He stands infallible. Unafraid.

But being scared isn’t always about running away. Sometimes it’s a ball ripping past you, because you were too shocked to think. Sometimes it’s your reflexes in slow motion.

To be scared is to not take that step towards victory.

 

Kinoshita knows that feeling well.


	9. Chapter 9

_ "Nishinoya!" _

 

On the court, rallies are over in seconds. The crowds above are huge and loud, two cheering squads each doing their best to drown the other out. Kinoshita’s voice is one in a crowd of thousands.

But he sees it, and lets his voice rip. It resounds like thunder.

 

The ground shifts.

 

_ I’ve got your backs.  _ It’s what  _ he  _ says so often. He stands at the edge of the precipice with no fear, for volleyball is a sport where you always look up.

But when the cliff crumbles behind him, who has the back of the Guardian Deity?

 

_ "Forwards!" _


	10. Chapter 10

Nishinoya presses the jersey into his hands, and Kinoshita doesn’t understand.

“But this is yours,” he says.

This jersey carries a huge weight with it. It’s what the aces wear, the number they bear as they stand proud and tall on the court and never fail. But more than that: it’s  _ his  _ number. Their Guardian Deity is the one who deserves to wear this.

Nishinoya laughs.

“I wanna wear Asahi-san’s number, though! Take on some of his power!”

He pushes the jersey and its solid white number 4 further into Kinoshita’s chest, and it feels like he’s imparting his own.


	11. Chapter 11

“I got your back,” Kinoshita says, as they’re moving into their positions on the court.

Nishinoya grins at him, and holds up his fist. “Get us five service aces and I won’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Five? I’m aiming for ten.”

Bright and bold, Nishinoya’s laugh fills the gym, and Kinoshita smiles broad as he bumps their fists together. Nishinoya’s hands are small, but sturdy for all that. Kinoshita’s own hands aren’t so nimble, but their aim is true.

And when they’re working together on court, they’re unstoppable.

Like heroes.

 

_ “Let's win this.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ♥
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/museicalitea) | [Tumblr](http://museicaliteacup.tumblr.com/)


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